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The effects of the 'credit crunch'

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:15:18 --0100

The effects of the Credit Crunch on voluntary and community organisations

Initial analysis of latest State of the Sector figures (which took place in 2007) reveals that out of 400 organisations, over a quarter have in excess of £50k held in short term deposits. As the banking guarantee only covers deposits up to this value, this may put some organisations at risk. In addition, over £15million from these organisations is also held in investments.

This is only a small snapshot of the sector from our 2007 figures, however it does indicate the vulnerability some organisations may be in. In order to assess the full extent of the problems that the voluntary and community sector face in Northern Ireland, we need your help.

Please email your answers to the below questions:

Do you have any accounts with Icelandic Banks? If you do, how much money is in the accounts?
Have your levels of reserves or investment

New Belfast's call for artists

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:27:57 --0100

We are looking for creative, dynamic and innovative practitioners with an approachable attitude, a passion for community arts, and experience of working on arts projects in community settings.

In addition, artists with only a limited experience are invited to apply for the opportunity to gain a hands-on insight into community arts practice by shadowing our facilitators.

New Belfast is committed to support communities through the arts using different art forms, including film, photography, fashion, sculpture, textile art, poetry, creative writing, carnival arts, dance, drama, music, and mural making.

We provide innovative city-wide arts projects which bring together arts organisations, artists and individuals on projects which are responsive to communities’ needs and interests, provide a platform for dialogue, contribute to the social, economic and cultu

New benefit calculator for older people

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:32:29 --0100

Over 100 older people and their representatives joined MLAs in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, at the launch of a new ‘A2B Benefit Calculator’ for over 60s in Northern Ireland.

The A2B Benefit Calculator, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, is a new way of helping older people find out about the benefits they are entitled to. At least £50 million per year goes unclaimed by over 60s here in Pension Credit alone. Because it does not come from the Northern Ireland block grant, this is money lost to Northern Ireland’s older people and its economy.

Social Development Committee Chair David Simpson, MP MLA, one of the launch sponsors, said:

"We need to ensure that older people here claim all the benefits that are available to them. Too many people are having to make difficult choices about where their money goes – claiming benefits that

Counselling services need to be dynamic

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:47:59 --0100

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, today called for school counselling services to be more dynamic in meeting the needs of pupils at times of need.

Ms Lewsley said that this week she had heard harrowing tales of children in need of counselling after traumatic experiences.

School counsellors are performing tremendous work throughout Northern Ireland, but in some schools they are being overwhelmed,” she said.

“In the space of just three days I have met principals of schools who told me of waiting lists of pupils who are in acute need. At the same time there are schools which feel they do not, at this time, need the support of counsellors.”

The Commissioner said that while there is an audit of need currently underway across schools the service needs to be dynamic and flexible eno

Fury on Neighbourhood Renewal delays

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:51:58 --0100

Over 150 people from voluntary and community groups across Belfast gathered in NICVA to discuss the current funding crisis arising from ongoing delays in Neighbourhood Renewal. Speaking at the meeting Seamus McAleavey, Chief Executive of NICVA said:

"It is clear that many voluntary and community organisations are facing a very serious situation. NICVA requested an urgent meeting with Minster Ritchie upon her return from the United States and will be meeting her on Monday afternoon to try and get a resolution to this issue."

Loss of services

The meeting heard from organisations providing vital services in areas such as early years, training and employment services, advice provision, befriending and community safety initiatives for older people, all of which are at risk of losing staff and volunteers. Community representatives pointed out that while the potential loss o

Another successful Members' Day

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:18:38 --0100

Frances McCandless, Director of Policy at NICVA, commenced the day with an overview of the key elements, and anticipated timetable, of the new Charities Act as well as highlighting the most pertinent elements of the Companies Act which are already in force.

She then outlined developments in good practice in governance giving an update on the Code of Good Governance as well as the National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committees. She also outlined wider policy issues for the sector including the latest in the Review of Public Administration and the latest in funding updates.

The second of the morning presentations concentrated on policy and procedures to manage staff with Susan

Ensure rights are respected

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:56:17 --0100

2 October 2008 marked the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Human Rights Act (HRA), which made the European Convention on Human Rights part of UK domestic legislation, thus making its protections more accessible to people in the UK.

The Human Rights Consortium believes that while the HRA was a milestone development in protecting civil and political rights in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, its lack of protection for social and economic rights could now be addressed by the introduction of a strong Bill of Rights in Northern Ireland.

Fiona McCausland, Chair of the Human Rights Consortium said:

While the HRA robustly protects civil and political rights, there is an obvious lack of social and economic rights protections therein. Given the current economic climate where people have less disposable income, jobs are insecure and the cost of living in Northern Ireland is consistently increasi

The Climate Challenge

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:11:53 --0100

The conference, taking place at Grosvenor House, 5 Glengall Street, Belfast, will also be an excellent opportunity for networking with business leaders, government representatives and environmental organisations around these key issues.

Free lunch and refreshments will be provided.

The Belfast conference is the second in a series of conferences being held throughout 2008-09. The first took place in Birmingham in June 2008. The third and fourth will be held in Glasgow and Swansea respectively.

Registration instructions and more information

Places are very limited, and priority will be given to those individuals and organisations that are well-placed to disseminate the conference's outcomes to other audiences, in Northern Ireland and beyond.

To register your interest for the Belfast conference, download free climate change resources or read more about the conference series, visit www.una.org.uk/climate or call 020 7766 3448.

Challenge and reward of efficiency

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:20:07 --0100

by Bronagh McKenna

An ethical organisation which invests in improved administrative systems will, in the long-term, be more streamlined and efficient, more attractive to donors and will have more funds at its disposal.

Introduction

Recent surveys indicate that the not-for-profit sector is growing, resulting in fierce competition for resources. Traditionally, donor pressure has resulted in the vast majority of expenditure being channeled towards short-term mission delivery, frequently to the neglect of an organisation’s administrative systems and therefore the longer-term effectiveness and sustainability of its mission delivery.

As the not-for-profit sector grows, however, ethical organisations must evolve to meet the new challenges posed by the more competitive environment in which they operate.

In this article we highlight the recent findings in relation to one such challen

Cedars Fashion Show is back for 2008

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:11:40 --0100

The Cedar Foundation is hosting its third User Forum Fashion Show to raise money to provide services for disabled people in Northern Ireland.

It takes place on Wednesday 15 October, in The Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast at 7.45pm and will once again be hosted by BBC TV personality Sarah Travers. Tickets are still available, costing just £10.00 each which includes entrance to the show and a glass of wine.

Pictured: Anne McAleer, Cedar User Forum Facilitator, BBC's Sarah Travers and Danielle Finnegan from ASDA, help launch this years Cedar User Forum Fashion Show, to be held at The Wellington Park Hotel on Wednesday 15 October.

Clothes will be provi

Sarah Travers makes her coffee break matter

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:40:21 --0100

Every week in Northern Ireland another two families receive the devastating news that their child has been diagnosed with cancer. Their family life will change dramatically. Trips to the cinema and swimming pool will be replaced by regular trips to the hospital.

The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children helps hundreds of children and families cope with the traumatic effects of a childhood cancer diagnosis.

Joanne Steele, NICFC Corporate Fundraiser, commented:

“We support every family member, not only the child diagnosed, by doing so, they in turn can support each other. We are asking for the help of local schools, community groups and businesses. Just by making coffee and cake for friends, family or colleagues you can make a real difference to these local children and their families at a time when they most desperately need it.”

Sarah Travers

£1.3 million for community transport

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:40:52 --0100

The £1.3 million investment compounds DRD's investment to supply transport solutions in rural areas for people who find it difficult to access or use conventional transport because of age, disability or rural location.

Kellie Armstrong, CTA's Acting Director for NI said:

"We are delighted the Minister has launched the vehicles during Community Transport Week. This is a fantastic start to the week and focuses attention on the types of services community transport provides in our community.

"This investment replaces and increases the number of community transport vehicles. The more accessible vehicles there are in the community means the more people can access transport that meets their needs.

"All vehicles are fully accessible meaning they are

This week in the Assembly - 6 October 20

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:54:14 --0100

Monday 6 October 2008

Questions to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety

East Antrim MLA Ken Robinson will ask the Minister when he next intends to meet with representatives of the main supermarkets about the availability of cheap alcohol.

Mid-Ulster MLA Michelle O'Neill will ask the Minister what action he is taking to protect children and vulnerable adults under the interim arrangements in place, due to delays in the processing of applications by Access NI.

Questions to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

West Tyrone MLA Claire McGill will ask the Minister what plans she has to publicise the new rural development programme.

North Belfast MLA Caral Ni Chuilin will ask for details of the neighbourhood renewal posts and services that the Minister's Department will fund from March 2009.

Questions to the Minister for Social Development

West Tyrone MLA

Childrens services not good enough UN

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:50:34 --0100

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Patricia Lewsley, today called on Government to implement recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The commissioner said the influential committee had confirmed what most people already knew – services for children are not good enough.

In a set of Concluding Observations and Recommendations published on 3 October the committee has recommended Government improve services and enhance the rights of children in Northern Ireland.

Children who are in most need are not getting the right services at the right time,” said Ms Lewsley. “This means that children in need of mental health services, who are disabled, or who are suffering poverty, are discriminated against in Northern Ireland. This has today been recognised and acknowledged by the

Tackling child poverty

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:38:36 --0100

The Ministers met with representatives from the Anti-Poverty Coalition today to discuss the Keep the Promise campaign which will culminate in a rally at Trafalgar Square in London on 4 October where 10,000 people will call on Gordon Brown to keep his promise to end child poverty.

Mr Donaldson said:

Our commitment to tackling child poverty is outlined in our Programme for Government. Our targets on child poverty are challenging particularly in the current economic climate. The actions of the UK Government will have a direct impact on levels of child poverty in Northern Ireland. The Executive here is committed to doing all it can to work towards achieving those targets."

Mr Kelly said:

No one should be condemned to a life of pove